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To avoid confusion - the keywords in the topic refer to two different questions, though both are related to Baccarat.Baccarat fake signatures: I have read about them several times (at various locations). Would anyone have images of examples, best comparing the genuine and fake signatures, or know about a web page dealing with this problem?Baccarat Franklin Mint: I understand that these weights (sulphides) have actually been made by Baccarat, but were commissioned and distributed by The Franklin Mint - correct? As I have never before considered sulphides, I would appreciate your comments:- would Franklin Mint weights be considered of equivalent quality, or inferior?- how would prices compare between "true Baccarat" and "Franklin Mint" weights?Thank you for helping me getting started with sulphide paperweights!Best regards - Wuff

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Wolf Seelentag, St.GallenInterested in any aspect of Scottish glass? Have a look at Scotland's Glass.

Hi Wolf, i cant help much but if you try www.baccarat.fr and click on contacts, they have a museum and seem willing to answer any requests for information.I am sure the experts on the board here will have more information for you

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They do send acknowledgements but still waiting for a questions to be answered ... so perhaps 'appear willing'.

Franklin Mint did commission a series and I am sure they have been discussed... I get the impression that sulphides are out of fashion and the FM series in particular. There is a certain negativity often attached to FM collectibles, though I am sure that Baccarat quality would be as normal. Good time to collect them!

... but if you try www.baccarat.fr and click on contacts, they have a museum and seem willing to answer any requests for information.

Unfortunately my previous experiences with French paperweight manufacturers (Baccarat, Clichy, Saint Louis) are not very positive - they tend you refer you as potential customer to their registered dealers. I find this a bit upsetting - which is why I still am a potential customer (exception are a couple of Saint Louis weights).

The Franklin Mint Bicentennial sulphides were sold in five sets of two. The blue weights were made by D'Albret and the dark red weights were made by Baccarat. D'Albret made a set of Bicentennial weights for the Danbury Mint. The other FM sulphides were all Baccarat. There are certain ones I would like to obtain but I won't be collecting them all because they all look alike.

I've been taking advantage of the fact that sulphides are out of fashion at present. They've been very affordable lately. I collect both D'albret and Baccarat. The encasement and cutting on Baccarat seems to be quite a bit better than on D'Albret but I like the variety of treatments I see in the latter. Someone mentioned that the sulphides in Baccarat were crisper but to my eyes the quality seems to be pretty much the same.

I kind of went bananas on Ebay and ended up with 20 of them. I was looking for Murano and noticed that the sulphides were going for less. I got a QE II coronation weight for an astoundingly low price. My collecting is slowing down now. My newest sulphide depicts JF and Jackie Kennedy. I particularly like it because like the QE II it's a double portrait.

I figure the prices will shoot up again sometime but by that time I will have a cabinet full of them.

As to fake Baccarat signatures, I've seen some pretty cheesy scratch signs on Chinese and Murano weights. There was a thread here a while back where there was a convincing looking acid etch on the base of a Bohemian weight.

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I collect Scottish and Italian paperweights and anything else that strikes my fancy.